Mervin Smith’s election leaflet, promoted by Mark Meredith, claims after all this time that labour locally want a school on the Mitchell site and another for Longton. After all these years driving forward plans to bulldoze Mitchell High School, Labour at the last minute change their tune in a desperate bid for support.
Nobody has been more of a disaster with their “Ëœbulldozing schools for the future’ plans than Labour’s Mark Meredith and his supporters. He has arrogantly gone round the city, claiming to listen but giving Labour political speeches about how it is best for education to rip schools out of communities in favour of imposed academies. Mark Meredith’s Labour, continuing after he was kicked out, do not deserve to win an election in the city. They will do the city no good, their track record says it all.
Mervin Smith’s leaflet says to bombard council leader Ross Irving with the message “let our community keep its school”. Fine, but who voted for Tory Ross Irving to be council leader? Labour did! Yes it’s true, they really did. Labour set up the Tories so that after years of failure under Labour leadership they could blame the Tories just before an election. And Ross Irving is daft enough to fall for it ““ if he had any sense he would do as Labour are claiming they now request and give us a school on Mitchell and another in Longton – but I won’t hold my breath.
Mervin Smith says about Mitchell “I’m proud to be a governor of the school” So Mervin, are you going to tell us what you have really done as governor? Did you support a ridiculous merger of Mitchell with Edensor miles away? Did you support the destruction of the current schools with no replacement on the Mitchell site? Did you support it being taken over by an academy with sponsor dominance over parents on the governing body? Go on, admit it, tell us what you have really done for Mitchell.
The leaflet says “Labour’s Mervin Smith ““ on your side”. Don’t believe a word of it! The council’s Labour group screw over communities then just before an election pathetically say they have not listened enough but will now. No ““ LABOUR CAN NOT BE TRUSTED!
If the folk of Bentilee and Townsend want to be conned over a few weeks before an election and face the prospect of further betrayal afterwards, then they can vote Labour.
Happily though they have better alternatives, people who have consistently supported the community and to keep a high school on the Mitchell site. People who care about the area all the time, not just at election time.
Independents Wendy Booth and Margaret Lowe are standing for election. Both live in Bentilee, care about the community widely and have been campaigning vigourously in the Community Schools Action Group for a school on Mitchell (I have never seen Mervin Smith at a CSAG meeting). Residents will remember Wendy Booth declaring at a public meeting at Mitchell that she would stand for council and Margaret Lowe, chair of the action group, is also standing. They deserve the local vote, Mervin Smith does not. Current councillor Phil Sandland, standing again, has also shown way more support for the school and has a track record in the community.
This Labour leaflet, for Mervin Smith, promoted by Mark Meredith, is truly shameful.
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE ARTICLE BELOW ARE THAT OF THE AUTHOR NICKY DAVIS AND DO NOT NECCESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PITS N POTS TEAM.
All the blogs are the view of the individual bloggers surely. But just mine gets that pointed out at the top. Because I speak out against labour? Is this proof that pits’n'pots is pro-labour then?
Nicky, you are entitled to your opinion but both Tony I felt because of the tone of this Blog we just needed to reinforce the point, especially on the run in to an election.
We are not Pro Labour or any other party.
Nicky, I totally agree with you. The Labour leanings of Pits n Pots are absolutely unmistakable.
Tony Walley is even directly quoted on Rob Flello’s election leaflet I see from http://bit.ly/bInYeh and this leaflet states clearly that Tony is a founder of Pits n Pots! Tony’s blogs and comments are often highly sympathetic towards Labour, as noted most recently when he was rushing to the defence of Tristram Hunt.
In Tony’s interviews with Rob Flello for the site, anyone would think they are bezzie mates.
The suggestion by Mike that Pits n Pots is not Labour leaning is frankly laughable.
Pits n Pots has long had what can only be described as an obsession with the internal workings of the local Labour party, not an interest replicated in any other local parties. I’m fairly confident most people across our city really couldn’t care less.
Pits n Pots has some serious delusions of gradeur in my view, and if it wants to be taken seriously and be the serious provider of news in the city which it claims to be (which it isn’t at the moment) then it needs to look long and hard at two words in the dictionary: ‘objectivity’ and ‘impartiality’.
Nicky, bloody hell gal the last time I saw that headline was when Craig Pond put a blog in LOL.
The hitman (MB) will be looking for you, keep your eyes peeled LOL.
Pete, PitsnPots most certainly doesn’t have any pro Labour leanings at all period.
I know that Tony and Mike have had the utmost integrity in trying to bring a balanced view on stories.
I myself used to be a Labour supporter in the 80′s and 90′s I’ll readily admit but not anymore. I can honestly say I wont be voting for them.
Tony has said repeatedly that he used to be affiliated with Labour and the Lib Dems but not any longer. His Comments on Flello’s election material were quotes given by Tony about RF’s support for Local schools and were then used, out of context.
They were not PitsnPots endorsing a political candidate.
We do not actively support any political group.
As for your comments regarding serious delusions of grandeur. Firstly let me say that we, and sites like ours are the first green shoots of a coming media revolution. That’s not delusions of grandeur its a fact. People are turning their attention to hyper local sites because they deliver the news as it is quoted without editing and spin.
The BBc over simplyfy every story providing just snippets which i feel do little more than re-inforce peoples existing opinions. Newspapers are owned by corporations. they have interests and this is plain to see by the political leanings. Are you seriously trying to tell me that the Daily Mail, The Sun and the mirror have objective impartial journalism? give me a break.
The best thing about pits n pots and other sites like us is that we do it because we care, we are volunteers, we don’t get paid.
We are not professional journalists, we know. We do endeavor to maintain professional conduct though.
You say we are not a serious provider of news, please tell me who the competition is? The sentinel naturally commands more visitors than we do, it also has a large paid staff. BBC Radio stoke is tax payer funded.
So your comparisons are irrelevant and unweighted.
As for Impartiality, I really think you need to learn the difference between a STORY and a BLOG POST. try Google, but I’ll write an article about it later to try to inform those who do not know.
Pete,
You are entitled to your opinion.
I left the Labour Party years ago. The comments regarding Rob Flello were in my capacity as a school chair of governors and someone who has worked on the school issue since 2004. I also worked with Rob on ASB issue in Longton North. If the MP had been Tory/Libdem/BNP I would have made the same comment.
Why? Because it is fact. In my opinion Pete some work undertaken by both local/parliamentary representatives are beyond party policy. It comes down to making your community a better place. The party is irrelevant and insignificant.
The Labour party in my opinion nationally has not done enough to be sure of may vote on 7th May. I haven’t a clue where to put my X.
My company has reality struggled through this recession. I’ve seen good companies go to the wall through no fault of their own. The banking industry has been a disgrace all under the watch of this Labour government.
I will balance my frustration with national government with local issues and hope I come up with the best.
I feel that politics is at a crossroads in this country at the moment. I never thought I would see this city embrace the Conservatives and yet many people who would normally vote Labour are thinking of voting Tory. Then we have the Clegg bounce, will this get people in Stoke voting Libdem? [I had a stint with them after Labour by the way!]
No one [including me] can tell me where i am voting on May 7th Pete.
As for this site, I honestly don’t care what anyone thinks about it. They can choose to read and comment or not. It’s up to them.
What I can tell you is that the number of hits is going up and up and we do give every politician the same respect. Watch the Flello video, then watch the Andy Large video, then watch the 2 Nick Griffin viseos, then watch the Simon Darby videos.
We treat everyone the same. Are we Paxman? No – we don’t want to be.
We ask the questions nicely and politely and we get the answers and more importantly we let the readers/viewers/listeners make their own minds up.
When you write blog or comment articles they are opinions no different to the BBC do or the Sentinel does.
Everyone who writes about politics has an interest and opinion.
When we write news articles they are just that.
It was only a few months ago when Tony was being accused of being a Tory because he was interviewng Roger Ibbs.
And as you Nicky Davis how can yo say anything when you state at the bottom of each comment that you are a non party political activist yet you slag people like Ross Irving ^ Roger Ibbs off in every other sentence then you attack labour in this so called blog. Your hatrid and bile dont deserve to be given the light of day if I were Tony or Mick I would have deleted it nevermind just adding a wishy washy few lines at the top to say nothing to do with us…
remind me where is it you live again Nicky? Trentham, you have got your school go and play with that and kindly keep your nose out of our business in other wards.
The difference between ordinary people who are in the public domain acting as would-be, or actual politicians is whether they tell the truth or speak nonsense.
If Mervin has written that leaflet, then I would urge him to withdraw it.
I put out 20,000 leaflets in 2008 (the last election in Stoke)all calling for the Mitchell High school to be rebuilt on its present site.
I was destroyed politically because of my actions.
There is a difference between those who believe in the truth and wishing to do the right thing, because it’s the right thing to do, and doing and saying whatever you believe is needed to be done to win an electorate over.
The power of conviction and passion will always win through in the end, and those that offer expediency to the voters will always be found out.
Withdraw the leaflet.
I support Nicky in her view.
In Tonys interviews, he treats every one as a mate, he just talks to them, they are more relaxed, he gets more out of them. Pete, go back and replay the interview with Garry Elsby, then go back and replay the interview with Tristan Hunt, the same. The way it is, Tony may have talked with Garry before, but not Tristan Hunt, yes he treats them both the same. Play one of the interviews with Mike Coleman, the same, but he may have talked with Mike before, but not Simon Darby or Nick Griffen, but again he treats them the same. I wright on political matters sometimes, if I have not put my own personal view in the peace, I’ll send it as a story, if a have, I’ll send it as a blog. Nicky did the right thing hear, its a personal view, its booked as a blog, and if it was not for the situation of local and UK elctions, it would stay as that, no disclamer. As for the one that time from Mr. Pond, that needed a health warning, never mind a disclamer.
One thing on the story, Labours a big assed party, and I wouldn’t trust all of them, and I’d include Mark Meredith in the ones I don’t trust, he’s a bit power hungry I think.
Wally pro Labour? you could’ve fooled me!
Google Stoke-on-Trent and then click on the ‘news’ tag. He has written more about the imposition of Tristram Hunt than anyone else. All the Stoke central shite is on there too.
I’ll give this site one thing, they get accused of being pro everyone, including the BNP.
I have had a go at Elsby, I am worried that he will split the Labour vote and in doing so the racist BNP will prosper. Have you listened to the Elsby audio that Wally did? You won’t think he is pro labour if you listen to that.
This site is balanced there is no doubt about that. Pete if you want to read articles or listen to mamby pamby interviews by robots go to the other local media.
If the pits and pots team are pro Labour, why id Nicki’s article still on here? Why is her comment still on? Why is Pete’s still on.
I think Nick is pro BNP and Independent and very anti labour. But she has her opinions. The only thing that pisses me off is she claims to be a floating voter – yeh right!
PS, Still no policies from Elsby. Still all just anti Labour crap. What are you going to do for me, my family and my City Gary?
It’s your fault we lost 7-0 to Chelsea by the way but you’ll probably blame Tristram as he is imposed from London!
No, no, no Its Nick Cleggs falt Stoke got 7 up ‘em yesterday. Mind you watching the match on MOTD 2, no players falt, out of danger, and already on the beach, and hay, who can blame them, even it up by haveing there belly tickeled by Man Utd as well.
I’ll send my ‘policies’ over to pits n pots on tomorrow or Wednesday and it’s up to them if they go up.
Besides, you can add it to all of the other Labour one’s that I have put my name to over the years.
Mine are better but I don’t mind authoring part of Labour’s Policy document 2010.
and yes, I do blame Tristram Hunt for the 7-0 defeat.
Bet he was more gutted than anyone around here.
yes, I bet he was
Gary
At last! A chance to scrutinise Gary! I’m well marked as a lefty, so you just might get me yet (rather you than the Darkside).
My point, I apologise if it’s seemed too personal at times, is that to stand for any public office you must have an agenda.
Please publish his manifesto PnP.
As a Stoke Labour Party member I have to correct the view expressed by Nicky Davis and Pete that Tony Walley and Pits’n'Pots are pro-Labour.
The reality is that amongst a very large number of local Labour members Pit’n'Pots is see as hostile towards the Labour Party and Tony Walley himself has the status of persona non grata with them after all the negative posts and leaks he has published. In fact if Tony Walley ever tried to re-join Labour I doubt he would be accepted.
Hope this adds some light to things.
That’s fine Mike, I talked to Tony about it. I was a little bit irritated when the disclaimer went on, wondered why this one and thought it was because of labour because when I had a go at a libdem leaflet previously because it was spun towards the libdems being in support of the Save Trentham High campaign when they weren’t it wasn’t treated that way. Anyway, I think pitsnpots is great and publishes a huge range of opinions. There are always the accusations of PnP being pro or anti this or that because we all come at it with our different views.
Nick R
The “non-party political” is more the adjective that describes the “activist” than describes me, though it does apply to me a bit also. What I mean by that is I’m an activist in quite a variety of different groups but in none of them would I move to exclude any political party, they would all be welcome if they are fighting for the particular cause. And perhaps for myself I might be rather more anti-party political than non- at present. My remarks on Ross Irving and Roger Ibbs aren’t party political, they are aimed at the individuals because of the way they are more than for being Conservative, Roger Ibbs isn’t even tory any longer. I like independents but not all of them, not him. Yes I am pretty much anti-labour I admit to that, there are so many things they have done and do that lead me to that. But then again there are people in the Labour party that I like and work quite happily with on action groups etc.
In terms of keeping my nose out of business in other wards, I honestly think it’s better to take a much wider interest than just my own small area. And this is a SOT website, any of us are free to comment on any area. In fact if I only commented about Trentham I could easily be accused of being narrowly self centred and uncaring about anyone else. Fact is I do care about other people, especially when I can identify with what they are going through and think they have a good cause. You may find it hard to believe but I only tentatively became involved in CSAG because I didn’t wish to interfere and if that group would rather I wasn’t involved then I wouldn’t be.
Alistair,
Chuffin’ nora yowth! I’m not sure if you are supporting Wally there or sentencing him to the gallows.
Maybes that’s what wrong with Labour they can’t stand the heat? Afterall the plight of those nutters in Stoke Central has been well reported on this site and now most of the buggers have left, especially the chief nutter Elsby.
The party should be thanking pits and pots not chucking their collective toys out of the pram.
[quote]In fact if Tony Walley ever tried to re-join Labour I doubt he would be accepted.[/quote]
Thats a joke that is! The party’s loss or Wally’s gain?
If the party adopt that attitude, why would anyone join if they were not allowed an opinion?
Is this what Labour have come to in this city? They go from 60 councillors down to 15 and its all the fault of a political website and its main writer?
Should you lot not be spreading the love and the positivity through this site? How come the Tories put out loads through here?
Yes even the tories are more media savvy than labour.
Who would have ever dreamed it?
My vote will go to James Rushton. I hope Tony Wally’s will too!
Alistair, from an EX Labour supporter, Please take this message back to your party. “You have been ignoring the public Arrogantly for far too long, now its their chance to judge you and all over the country the axe is going to fall, big time.
You already know this but instead of planning a regroup strategy, you waste time shoring up indefensible policy and attacking other parties.”
In my heart of hearts I wanted Labour to win in 97 and was pleased when they did, good work followed but a hell of a lot of bad stuff too in my opinion. I can’t defend the indefensible, I cant support that stuff just because I grew up Labour.Sadly for the country there’s a lot of other people who feel that way too.
Labours arrogance towards this site has shown massively. Only now in the dying throes of Government are they willing to come clean and engage. Sad really
Gibbo,
“pro BNP” – I’ve never voted bnp and am not likely to vote bnp. They have too many policies that I dislike. However I do think at a local level they do some good work and are supportive of local people and local issues.
“pro Independent” – Yes largely right, I like the lack of party whip and the better ability to be representative. But there are some independents I don’t like.
“anti Labour” – Yes largely right too. The things that rile me most are spin/dishonesty and dictatorial/undemocratic nature.
“floating voter” – Well I’ll float to the ballot box, stop floating to vote, and float again after. Prior to the 2005 general election I was a labour voter, I had never voted anything else but labour, I wasn’t floating then. In 2005 I voted libdem. But I don’t consider that made me a libdem voter, as I had no commitment to necessarily vote for them again. At the last local election I voted independent. That possibly makes me an independent voter as it seemed a very good move but at the time I did not see it necessarily extending, or being possible to extend to a general election. At the Euro election I voted for one of the tiny parties – libertas. As it happens I am almost certain to vote independent in the local election and very likely to vote independent in the general election. But I only know that because we’re so close to the election. There may be a liklihood I would vote independent in the future but then maybe not. What would happen if the libdems got their act together locally and started supporting people, maybe I’d vote for the libdem party rather than not a party. Point is I consider myself a floating voter because I’ve no commitment to any of them. I decide for each election as it comes around, based on track record, policies, promises and how credible any promises are.
Fantastic Browns enema, I agree with every single word.
Is this Alistair ” fill in for Kath Banks” – candidate 4 Meir Park?
From a local news-reporting and resident-feedback perspective, I believe PitsnPots to be the most unbiased and lucid source of them all. The BBC skims the surface, whilst the Northcliffe Nag inevitably marches in line with the doom-laden Rightist bedrock it was created from. In-depth and balanced reporting, with a big-tent arena of opinions aired by its readership. What more can anyone wish for? The key to success is surely to upset/unsettle individuals from all sides at any given opportunity. This is usually adequate proof of a correct path furrowed. Keep it marching on, you editors, whoever you choose to follow or vote for.
Tristram being upset at the Stokie humiliation? I have no idea personally, but he was probably a mite more distraught than I. Hilarious scenes witnessing the emotional trauma of Stoke supporters crumbling online at the thumping. £48. Dear, dear, dear.
‘The reality is that amongst a very large number of local Labour members Pit’n'Pots is see as hostile towards the Labour Party’
Oh dear, here we go again.
This translates into, a tiny few are scared of commenting on real issues, but prefer to undermine those that do so.
Who actually says that holding an opinion, good or bad, for or against, is a consideration for non membership?
We know that politicians now pick the politicians in Stoke but it would be a tad unfortuante to witness yet further destructions of democracy by picking and choosing members based on mainstream concerns.
I remember a time when to support the Mitchell high school, fast-tracked the view holder to the NEC disciplinary desk.
Today, everyone wants the Mitchell on the Mitchell site, even those who shut it!
And they say we didn’t know what we went on about or what was best for the City and local community.
Vision? You bet!
You’re gathering quite a fan-base my friend… I’m always suspicious of “non alligned political activists”.
Tony: no point voting May the 7th in my opinion.
Manifesto today Gary, remember?
Nothing personal Nicky, but for someone claiming to be non-alligned you strike me as a tad right-wing. Don’t take offence, afterall, Iam left of Lenin!
Oooh, Terry’s back. Given up brown-nosing your boyfriend on his blog? I notice you haven’t posted any of your one-line “great article Craig” on his blog lately.
He’s still at it that Mervin, writing to residents claiming labour are now wanting a school on Mitchell, after years of vociferously wanting to get rid if it, scandalous!
Labour can not be trusted. I hope he doesn’t win but if he did, what’s the betting he actually wouldn’t care, just blame it on Ross Irving if there is no school on Mitchell (and of course it would be his fault as well) and if labour did take control, would they just change their minds about Mitchell again. It’s clearly all just about electioneering with him and no care for what really happens.
Now on another topic, given that the council’s budget decision was for root and branch review and NOT to close the likes of the Willfield, why is Mervin claiming the independent/tory/libdems (in that order) have plans to close Willfield? Well obviously we do know why, to try to con the folk of Bentilee and Townsend into electing him.
Voting floaters go Lava-Tory…
http://tinyurl.com/3a9htyb